Strays and Waifs
by hariboo
Summary: Connor O'Connell really changes Camille's life. Well, not really, but a little. Basically, Camille is trying to live her life, but adjustments have to be made for the new man in it. (Canon Compliant AU; Ensemble Klaus/Cami UST. ETA: no longer UST by Chapter 2.)
1. Chapter 1

To be clear, Connor coming into her life is unplanned. It sounds cliche but she really did look into his eyes and fall in love at first sight. She ignores Vincent's knowing smile, because he's smug when he's right. She did need someone or something new in her life that wasn't in some way connected to the supernatural.

Cami's pretty sure this isn't quite what he meant, but from his laugh it works out just fine. Afterall it's his fault that Connor crosses her path. His and Davina's.

She's not ready for him at all. Not for his mismatched eyes and how they look at her like she's best thing in the world, his slightly dirty tricolour hair (it should look terrible and it does, but she's also charmed by it), and how he licks her wrist so earnestly when she goes to pet him.

Catahoula Leopard Dogs, while "the Louisiana State Dog", are not the prettiest of breeds at first sight. Some can look downright creepy with their patchwork alopecia looking coats, webbed paws, and eyes that range from icy blue to deep amber, sometimes both at the same time. They are not dogs that you look at and want to pet right away, but Cami can't help being drawn to the miserable looking pup at the shelter. She and Sean used to have one as kids, that might be a factor in her draw to it. She misses her normal life sometimes.

Now the reason she's in the shelter is as strange as most things her life now. Davina is adopting a black cat. She doesn't say: familiar, but Cami and Vincent looked at each other and he just smiled. Familiars aren't staples in witches lives as most would think, but there is a history of them. Mostly they're used to be used relay messages between covens before the age of telephones and text messaging and in very specific instances as sources of extra power and energy.

Witch stuff aside, Cami just think Davina gets lonely in the cemetery and why not get a pet?

That might or might not be Cami projecting.

In the end, Cami, Vincent, and Davina walk into an animal shelter in the Treme and leave with one black cat, one Connor, and a lot of papers about neutering and vaccinations. Vincent shakes his head at both of them, but scratches Connor's ears making the dog smile up him.

All in all, Cami thinks having Connor in her life will be a good thing. She does needs something that isn't twisted up in the supernatural drama that is her life and like Davina mentions, it's probably a good idea for her to have a some sort of guard dog. Nobody can argue that.

* * *

They stop at a pet store before dropping Davina off at the cemetery so Cami and Davina load up on supplies. Vincent has two cats, he shares then (and thankfully Finn did keep them well fed), and he leads Davina down the aisles pointing out what she'll need. Davina strokes Powder's fur, holding the small cat to her chest. Not for the first time Cami remembers how young Davina is. Also, that Powder is an ironic name to give a black cat.

Connor, for his part, follows her faithfully as she grabs him a bed, some bowls, doggy shampoo, a new bright red collar that'll stand out on his coat nicely, a new leash, several chew toys. Cami lets him nibble on her boot's laces as she double checks his papers and age as she gets dog food (he's two years old and was found abandoned by Interstate 10 severely dehydrated and malnourished. He had looked absolutely miserable in his kennel at the shelter until she walked towards him and he lifted his head those eyes catching her. Cami doesn't want to think what she might or might be projecting _there_.), and barks once when she picks up doggy treats. She grins down at him, because yeah, her boots already have teeth marks but she's kinda in love.

It takes almost an hour for them to get everything and Cami winces at the total. Davina doesn't have much of an income seeing as being the 18 year old Regent to nine coven of witches doesn't pay - Cami really should talk to Marcel about giving her an allowance - so she and Vincent spilt that bill between them. Davina flushes in thanks and tucks Powder tight under her chin. The cat paws at her hair. Cami should also talk to Davina about getting a job. Maybe even going to college. Being a witch doesn't mean you can't get your degree. Vincent is living proof.

In the end, Cami's day does not end up where she thought it would. By midnight she's got some brand new doggy teeth marks on her coffee table, dog food spilled over by her kitchenette, and a doggy bed that goes unused as Conn climbs on the bed and curls up by her feet. She gave up fighting him by hour three.

His weight by her feet is a nice presence to have.

* * *

Of course, in the whirlwind of getting Conn Cami forgets about her other guard dog.

Not that she'd ever call Klaus that to his face.

Okay, she would. But only after few drinks. A lot drinks. She'd pretty much have to be plastered to say that to his face, but that doesn't mean it's not true.

* * *

The first of the Mikaelsons to meet Conn is Freya. This comes as no surprise. Rousseau's is dog friendly and Conn is hanging out at the edge of the bar chewing on some coaster - he chews on everything, it's been an adjustment - his tail slapping against the door to the kitchen every once in awhile. Freya walks and slides onto a bar stood, grinning at Cami. Cami waves from the other end of the bar and holds up a finger telling her she'll be right with her.

Freya's eyes drift to Conn but she says nothing, just smiles. He's not the first or only dog in the bar. Conn makes people either smile or furrow their brow, his colouring is not the most pleasing at first glance. Most locals grin at him.

"Hey, in the mood for anything particular today," Cami asks, reaching Freya. Over the course of the last six months she's been slowly introducing Freya into liquors and cocktails. Tequila was a quick favourite as was any drink with it, but Cami is trying to expand her palette.

"I think I'll have beer today."

Cami nods, "Any?"

Freya considers this and then shrugs, "Surprise me."

"Okay, will do," Cami laughs, moving down to get a glass. It brings her near Conn, whose head snaps up as she approaches. He gives a little whine, which she's quickly come to learn means he wants some affection or a treat. She shouldn't, but he's been sitting mostly quietly for the past hour and she should take him for a walk soon since she's working a double today.

She grabs Freya's glass and pours her drink before she tosses a treat to Conn, who sits up to catch it with his mouth. He's very spry. He can jump clean over her coffee table as they learned the other night. Bye Bye decorative food bowl she spent too much of her last paycheck on.

"Just give me an hour and we'll go for a walk, buddy."

He whines again, but drops down when she signals him too. He's actually been pretty easy to train. Well, her mother's old carpet might have a few things to say about that, but he hasn't pooped on it again, so Cami is keeping her optimism.

"Oh! He's yours!" Freya exclaims as Cami hands her drink.

"Yeah, just kinda happened this weekend. Davina was getting a cat and," Cami shrugs, "next thing I know I got a dog."

Freya nods in that serious Mikaelson way when she mentions Davina. "That's good for her," she says, but doesn't elaborate. Witch stuff, Cami guesses. "And he's precious. His name?"

"Conner, but I've started calling him Conn. He's kinda supposed to be a guard dog." They both look over at Conn and he's currently pawing at his own nose. He's fucking adorable. "In theory anyway."

Freya's eyes narrow for a second and then she smiles. "I think he'll be a perfect dog for you, Cami."

"Don't tell me you just spelled my dog."

Freya laughs, shaking her head. "No, just… reading him. Dogs are rarely used in spells anyway. He's got a good spirit. Brave, just like you."

Cami purses her lips, unsure, but says nothing. She nods at costumer down the bar. "Thanks, I think. Hey, I'll be right back."

Freya nods and sits back on her stool. She stays for the next few hours - it's Ladies Night; Cami rakes it in with tips whenever she wear her tank top that dips a little loosely on her very small and sad cleavage. Why did Granny O'Connell curse her so? - and joins Cami when she takes Conn for a walk. Conn licks her fingers and nuzzles against her legs. Freya is quickly smitten. It's pretty clear he's a ladies man.

Cami sure knows how to pick them.

* * *

When she takes Conn to the church she quickly learns that while mellow and sweet tempered in her daily life, Conn will indeed make a good guard dog. Maybe a great one. He doesn't stop barking from the minute they reach the church steps, forcibly tugging Cami away when she makes her way up the steps. She has to shush him and, she's not proud, bribes him with his Miss Piggy squeaky toy as she leads him inside. Marcel and his vampires all wince the second they walk in, Conn's barks getting louder. He even starts out right growling, baring teeth.

Yeah, he'll be a fine guard dog.

Cami bends down and pets Conn gently. "It's okay, bud. Marcel's okay, he's a friend. Shh, shh." She tries to project she's not in distress and keeps him close to her chest. She may have picked up some Doggy Psychology books.

Marcel and Josh have made their way to her, albeit haltingly, and Josh yells over the barks. "Can we compel dogs?"

Cami scowls back, "You're not compelling my dog! Now get over here so he can smell your hand."

"What if he bites?"

Cami rolls her eyes, "You'll heal. Come on! Conner, sit!"

Marcel is already crouching by her, raising an eyebrow. "Recent addition to the family?" He puts his hand out and immediately Conn latches on to it. Cami taps his nose and says no biting, because yes, Marcel is vampire, but he's also a friend. At least Marcel laughs, and strokes Conn's neck. Conn still growls and barks, dropping Marcel's hand, but he's stopped showing off his canines. Slowly, very slowly, the barks subside as Marcel strokes his neck and chest, but there's the definite sound suppressed growls in the air.

"Protective, isn't he?"

Cami shrugs and smiles, proud. "Apparently."

"That's good. Get over here Josh."

Josh grumbles but makes his way over. "And I thought Powder was a little shit."

It takes about a full hour for Conn to get comfortable and he's not growling at Marcel and Josh and the others when they get within five feet of Cami. Most leave because Conn's barks get to them, but Josh overcomes his fear and Conn overcomes his protective duties when he realises Josh is excellent at tummy rubs. Cami hangs out for a while, getting Conn used to Marcel and Josh but also letting Marcel teach Conn to attack when he sees vampire teeth.

Marcel is taking a sip of water when he bumps Cami's shoulder as he walks her out. Conn pushes between them. "You know who's just gonna loveyou got a new protector?"

"Hmm?" Cami pulls out Conn's leash and snaps it onto his collar.

He raises his eyebrows all significantly and Cami sighs. Yeah, she's been trying not to think about it since the minute she walked in the church.

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying he never let me have a dog."

"God, but, hey, speaking of terrible parenting have you talked to Davina about college or, I don't know, maybe getting a job instead of hanging out in the cemetery all day with a cat?"

" _Cami_." He says in his My Adoptive Teen Witch Daughter Scares The Crap Out Me tone.

" _Marcel_." _Buck up_ , she tries to project.

"...I'll go over later tonight."

Cami grins and kisses his cheek. Conn growls and headbutts Marcel. He's a good dog.

* * *

It's not that Cami starts avoid Klaus after that. Technically, that's impossible. He's got a nasty habit of just popping up her house when she least expects it, but according to her sources he's been busy dealing with whatever drama followed Lucien to town. Her sources being Freya and Marcel, though she hasn't seen either in a few days. Cami tries not to worry.

So they just miss each other for a couple of weeks.

Anyway, she's got Connor now and having a dog is an everyday commitment. He has to have his morning walk at seven am at the latest. After they have breakfast, then they go to work where he chills by the kitchen door on in the back until her lunch break, which used to be spent in a back booth reading, but now the go to the park. Depending on her day she goes back to work or meets up with Vincent to do their work with Kinney. At five she to make sure he has his dinner which happens either at her apartment or in the back room of Rousseau's. These days Cami tries to be in bed by midnight and then they start their day over again.

Conn's fairly easy to deal with even though he doesn't get along that well with other dogs at first, but they're learning. He also doesn't like when a lot of cars start honking and it doesn't take a psychology degree to link that with being left by an interstate. He's not shy but he's not incredibly friendly, Cami learns. He likes her though, which is good enough for now. He also likes: pizza crusts, beignets (though he shouldn't have them but Cami left a plate on her coffee table and that, as they say, was that), his rubber Miss Piggy squeaky toy, her boot laces and Powder.

It's funny she came back to the city all alone, with only Uncle Kieran in her life. Now he's gone - and God, does it hurt to think about - but now, with Conn in her life, she feels a little less isolated than before. She sees Vincent almost everyday, Freya every once in awhile, and Davina on the weekends. She doesn't adhere the Mikaelsons to any sort of normality, but before, Freya used to call her to babysit Hope every few days. (Elijah she rarely sees, and Klaus, well, she's trying to keep professional.) But now that Hayley's back Cami hasn't seen the little girl in weeks.

Snapping Conn's leash on, she starts leading down towards the compound. More specifically, the apartments across the street. So what if they're in hearing distance.

"I hope you react better to werewolves than you did vampires," she mutters. Conn gives her a look like he thinks she's the most ridiculous person he's ever met. She's not sure he's wrong.

The day is nice and the walk is pleasant. She buys Hayley some flowers. Magnolias.

The street between the two buildings is as lively as ever, a fiddler busking on the corner. Cami can't help but let her eyes drift over to the gates on the left.

And then:

"Cami!" Hayley pops her out of the window, grinning. She's got Hope in her arms and the sight makes Cami smile. Happy mom, happy baby. Happy dad is something she's working on.

"Hey," she stops short and that when she notices that Conn is tense and silent at her side. He barked like hell was coming when it came to vampires, but werewolves and hybrids are looking like another story. If he can even tell what they are from here. Cami swallows. "Do you mind…" she trails off, waving towards Conn and she watches Hayley's eyes narrow and consider. Hayley is a lot smarter than the brothers give her credit for, Cami's well aware. Her instinct both supernatural and maternal are sharper than both care to admit. Cami waits, Conn is tense by her side.

"Come on up!" She grins and waves them forward. Conn, to Cami's surprise, seems to take to Hayley's command. Cami's not sure if a good sign or not, but they head up.

Jackson opens the door and immediately Conn begins growling. Cami tugs him back a little and wonders if some canine alpha male thing. She's noticed he doesn't trust men easily.

Jackson blinks and a sound rumbles in chest in response. Cami's brows raise. "Are you alphaing my dog?"

Conn growls again, and Jackson laughs. "No, just… letting him know who's boss. Hi, Cami. Those for me?"

"That would be me, and those too," Hayley interjects, sliding up by Jackson's side. Conn goes quiet again. Hope babbles happily when she sees Cami, making her smile. It warms her that Hope recognises her and that she seems to associates her face with positive emotions. "Come on in, you two."

Cami carefully unleashes Conn, but hooks her fingers in his collar for a second. Hayley and Jackson's nod she lets go and watches amused as he bounds in following Hayley. He hits Jackson with his tail. Cami's not sure it's not on purpose. But really her dog? Total ladies man.

* * *

Conn sits right in front of Hope and Hayley, tongue lolling out, his bright eyes looking at every single move Hope makes as Hayley lightly bounces her on her knee. Hope reaches out and for a quick second Hayley holds her daughter's hand back, her eyes flitting to Cami.

"It's okay, I think he likes her."

In the kitchen Jackson is putting the flowers in a vase and brings around a tray of ice tea. When he sits on Hayley's other side Conn gives a sharp bark. Hayley laughs.

"Alpha dog, definitely."

Smirking, Cami reaches out and strokes Conn's back. He turns his head at her and makes a happy sound. Hope says something close to "dog" and Conn's head turns back to her. This time when Hope reaches out, Hayley lets her touch the dog's face. Conn licks little fingers making Hope laugh. Hayley holds Hope securely with one arm as Hope keeps gently petting (and sometimes) missing Conn's face and neck.

"He's a sweetie," Hayley says, reaching out to pet him too.

"Tell that to Marcel and Josh. He bit them," Cami says, picking up Hope. Conn's eyes follow them both, tail wagging.

"Really?"

Cami tells her the story.

She forgot how much she likes spending time with Hayley and Hope. Jackson hovers for a while and then goes deal with some Pack business. Most of the afternoon ends up being spent catching up and sitting on the floor rolling a ball across the floor in a gentle game of catch. Hope and Conn end up following each other depending how has the ball. Hope gains yet another protector. When they fall asleep together, Cami and Hayley pull out their phones at the same time. Then Hayley takes out the big girl drinks. Freya comes over in less that ten minutes when they message her.

* * *

"So, how's the new man in your life treating you, Cami?" Freya asks as they walk down the stairs of Hayley's building.

Cami laughs, reaching down to rub Conn's head. "So far the best one yet."

"He seemed to like Hope." Conn followed the baby around all afternoon like a doting dad.

She snaps the leash on before they step outside, for once not feeling like the night might swallow her up on her way back home. "Born protector, old Connor."

"It's an Irish name."

"We O'Connells are."

"That is very true." Freya chuckles and hugs Cami. Freya always smells like burning candle wax. It reminds Cami of church. All the votary candles. Cami hasn't gone to service since her uncle's last sermon but she remembers all the rituals. She doesn't mind Marcel has built his fight club there, everyone in the Quarter believes the church to be cursed now, so someone might as well use it, but she misses what it used to be. She hasn't been to service is a long time.

Turning to walk home, she feels that all too familiar prickle across her neck and forces herself to dismiss it. If he's watching her she's not going to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging him.

Next to her Conn's growl rumbles deep in his throat making her snicker. "Good boy."

* * *

Cami's brushing her teeth when she hears the growls and barks, and spits out her toothpaste smiling.

"Give him your hand to sniff! I'll be right out."

Klaus is by her balcony, his mouth twisted in an annoyed scowl, but he's not stepping in. He's eyeing Conn who's growling and baring his teeth at him.

Cami rolls her eyes. "I told you to give him your hand. He might bite you, but Marcel and Josh got over it."

Klaus's eyes snap at her, brows lifting, and then he looks away. Cami presses her lips together, biting the inside of it.

"Tell me you're joking, love."

"I read that the breed has issues with other male dogs. Alpha dog stuff," she doesn't keep the tease out of her voice. Klaus finally moves from her window - seriously, why is he such a creeper and why doesn't she mind as much as she should? Well she knows the answer to that, but let's not talk about that now. - and steps around her sofa. Conn's growl follows him every step of the way.

"Seriously, give him your hand."

"If he bites me-"

"You will not hurt my dog." Cami steps forward and pats Conn's head. He stops growling for a second but snaps his teeth back a Klaus when he moves towards them. "And don't be a shit. It's unattractive."

Klaus meets her eyes at that, and Cami stands her ground. He sighs. Sometimes she wonders if he lets anyone else see this annoyed, pelutant side. Probably Elijah. God help them.

Klaus sticks out his hand and Connor's teeth snap over it hard. Cami winces. She didn't think he'd bite that hard and taps his nose. He doesn't let go this time. Cami hisses, "Connor, stop!" Connor growls hard and drops Klaus's hand. It's red and bloody and Cami does feel bad.

"Sorry, he didn't bite Marcel that hard." She rushes to the kitchen for a towel when Klaus moves back, growling at Conn, who growls back. Glaring at Conn, Klaus shakes his hand out. It's healed. Like that Cami stops feeling bad and remembers just why she got a guard dog.

"Your bloody dog is doesn't like me."

He sounds so pouty, Cami swallows a laugh but doesn't stop her trek to the kitchen.

"Do I need to get a violin out or did you bring your own?" She gets some bourbon out and pours two glasses as she calls Connor over. He snaps and barks at Klaus but comes to her. She bends down to check his teeth and they're a little bloody. She pulls open a drawer and grabs a treat and a little something else. Conn eats it out of her hand, gentle as a puppy.

"You give your dog vervain?"

"Freya told me it was okay. You can't compel animals, can you?"

Klaus laughs and Cami compartmentalizes how it makes her skin feel flushed. She hands him his drink and sits across from him. Conn comes over and sits by her side, his precious face on her knees. Klaus eyes him and Conn growls lightly until Cami pets him. Klaus scowls.

"I'm always willing to learn new skills." He shows his teeth to Conn and Conn shows his back. Cami is somehow unsurprised at how this is going.

"Don't you dare, I like him just how he is." Curling her feet up on her armchair, she knows she should try to pull this evening towards the professional, but it's late and her dog bit him. "So I've heard you had a busy couple of weeks."

She watches as he swallows his words with his drink and focuses on where her hand is stroking Conn's neck. "So, it seems, have you."

She smiles, because god damn it, he does make her smile. "Davina got a cat." It really is late so she'll prod about The Strix another day.

"Starting a menagerie are we?" He says, easy as ever. It shoud be annoying how easy talking to him is, but then again, it's pretty much all they do.

"Maybe. Marcel did mention how you never let him have a dog."

"They dislike vampires. Bark incessantly."

"I noticed. He doesn't seem to have problem with wolves, or hybrids. He liked Hayley and Hope, and okay, he got a bit testy with Jackson-"

"Maybe the mutt does have taste."

Cami snorts. "Hey, he's not a mutt, he's-"

"Catahoula Leopard Dog," he downright drawls, doing that annoying smile thing. "Said to be result of the mix breeding of Hernando de Soto's war dogs who were left behind and started mating with the red wolves of the region. "

The fact he knows this shouldn't make her feel anything, it's just a random fact, but it does. "Aren't you a fountain of knowledge? I thought Elijah was the only one with the trivia brain."

He grins, "Well, one does pick up things over the course of a thousand years, love."

"I'm sure," she says, and suppresses a yawn. His eyes narrow. By her legs, Conn drops to rest his head on his paws but he doesn't look away from Klaus once. It's time to get the point of all this.

"So, what happened that you came over tonight? Because I'm pretty sure you don't care I just got a dog, no matter how cute he is."

"Cute…" he starts; deflecting, too, by the way, Cami's not dumb. Still, she raises her eyebrows in warning. "Cute, it is," he finishes and she nods. "And who's to say I just didn't feel a little insulted you came all the way down to the compound and spent your afternoon with across the street with the happy family."

Oh. So it's that.

"Did you actually?"

"Did I what?"

"Feel hurt hearing Hayley and Jackson play the happy family this afternoon."

"I'm fairly sure that's not what I said."

Cami leans her cheek on hand, watching him. "You either heard me get there or heard Freya come over and chose to eavesdrop. And while that's an invasion of privacy we're not going to get into tonight, I do think there was some hurt about being left out of the picture. After all, it's supposed to be yours."

"Cami, dear, if you're implying I'm harbouring jealousy towards Hayley and Jackson, I'm sorry to tell you you have the wrong brother."

"Maybe not them romantically, but… Happy mom, happy dad, happy baby."

"He's not Hope's father." The glass in his hand splinters and shatters in his grip. Conn's head snaps up, his growl a low sound. Klaus looks from the dog to her and crushes the glass. Conn barks, sharp and hard, going to his feet. Cami holds him by the collar.

"It's okay, buddy, I think you're gonna have to get used to that." Cami sighs, unsurprised, and stands to get something to clean up the mess. "Or I'm gonna need to start buying plastic cups."

She feels both Klaus and Conn stand up to follow her and she turns, holding her hand up. "Stay," she says. Conn does, Klaus does not. Not that the command was for him, but he wouldn't have regardless. He starts to say something and she shakes her head. "Don't let my dog step on glass."

"I'm s-" Klaus starts and she can almost hear the word _sorry_ , but he's Klaus and so he does his version of it. "He won't."

Cami grabs a dustpan and makes quick work of the glass bits. Klaus and Conn stay standing by the chair until she's done.

"I know he's not her father, Hayley knows that too. And so does Hope, but Klaus, you just can't be a dad when it's about killing people to protect her. I know the current situation is hard. I know there's something going on you're not talking about, not to mention there's still vampire serial killer out there. But, you need to find a middle ground with Hayley. Not for her, not for Elijah, not for you, but for Hope. It's better for her when her family isn't fighting each other. It's safer. Stronger."

Cami wants to reach up and touch his face, but she's trying to be professional. She reaches down and rubs at Conn's head, and smiles at Klaus.

He's close, a lot closer than she's let him get lately, but nothing like… Not the point.

"That sounds like you're asking me compromise."

"So you do know the word."

Klaus raises his brows, mocking, "I've come across it, never paid it much attention."

"Maybe you should start."

He looks likes he's about to say something but that's when Cami's body betrays her and she yawns.

"And it seems like our time is up for the night."

"Klaus-"

"Good night, Cami." He turns to Conn who's, Cami just notices, as been growling ever since Klaus got near her. As Klaus reaches down to maybe pet him Conn bites at him. With Klaus's reflects there's no danger to him though. Cami chuckles awkwardly. Klaus looks both annoyed and pleased, and moves towards the window because, yeah, why use a door?

"Hey, whatever's been going on, and whatever you're feeling about being separated from Hope, you know I'm here right? You might not be able to sneak up on me anymore, but I'm still here ready to listen."

Klaus looks between her and Conn one last time. "Is that why you got him?"

"So you don't sneak up on me?"

He says nothing, but Cami has learned to read some of his silences. This one she calls: whatever you say you won't hurt my feelings, because I have none.

She grins, "No, but in this day and age, in this city it never hurts to have little extra backup when it comes to things that go bump in the night. Plus he's pretty cute. It was love at first sight."

Klaus's lip quirk, "Really?"

"What can I say, I'm a sucker," she breathes. Holds her breath. And maybe there's a little too much truth in that statement, because Klaus is now closer again. She never understands how he can get so close and still stay so- he brushes a phantom piece of hair behind her ear. Cami orders herself not to glance down at his mouth.

"That, I can assure you, you are most definitely not. Sweet dreams, Camille. I'll see you tomorrow."

She breaths out. "Good night, Klaus-"

But he's gone. Damn vampire speed. Conn, however, ambles to her side and rubs his head against her legs. She bends and kisses his head. "Yeah, I know. Mommy's in trouble."

He licks at her fingers and she's pretty sure he's agreeing. That night she doesn't even bother to try to get him to sleep on the floor. The next morning she laughs in the middle of pouring cereal when he starts growling at the window. Holding beignets and coffee, Klaus growls back and side steps Conn. It's their unofficial "chat food" and his even more unofficial peace offering.

"This should not be acceptable payment, you know that right?" Cami says, taking both treats gladly.

"Shall I take them back then?"

"Don't you dare." She breaks off a piece of her beignet to Conn who munches on it happily. He doesn't stop growling at Klaus the whole time.

Maybe Conn was unplanned, but so far the most unplanned things in Cami's life have been the most interesting. At least she'll never been snuck up on again.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey remember when I decided that Cami getting a dog could make everything 100% better. Here's the proof. Hilariously I started writing this as a fix it fic to Campire, who I loved, but I wanted to keep Cami human a little longer because her story as the human of the show wasn't done for me. Now I'm just writing to fix all this betrayal.

* * *

 _He's missing Mom. Mom has been gone for days and his gut tells him something is wrong. He doesn't know what but he can feel it. He can smell it. Also Mom never forgets to feed him and he's had to break into the treat bag, three times. She doesn't like it when he does that, but she hasn't been around to flick his nose._

 _He howls every time the light changes from the window but no one comes. The voices from nearby tell him to shut up._

 _He's reminded of Before Mom and the sound the mean things that didn't care about him. But the treat bag is open and the bed still smells like Mom and so does everything around him. He's still safe. He hopes she doesn't yell at him for going yellow and brown on the rug. She wasn't around to take him out. He doesn't want Mom to be mean to him._

 _So Connor howls and waits and even though his nose and gut tell him something is wrong he hopes Mom will come back soon with her warm hands and her love._

 _Mom doesn't come._

 _He comes. The one that smells like dead wolf and blood._

 _Connor growls when he shows up at the window. He always does that. It's rude. Mom doesn't like it._

 _Conn doesn't like him but as he approaches he says the name that others call Mom by. Camille. Conn barks at her name and sniffs._

 _Under the blood and dead wolf he smells like Mom. Connor doesn't understand why Mom cares about so many dead things and wolves, but she does and he's not allowed to bite all of them._

 _That's why he lets the dead wolf pick him up._

 _"She bloody well appreciate this, mutt. God knows why she's so fond of you."_

 _Connor snaps his teeth at him._

 _Soon, too fast against his fur, they're somewhere else. The big house that smells like death. But there! Conn sees Mom, jumps from the dead wolf's arms, and slaps him with his tail as he goes to her._

* * *

Cami gasps when she sees him. Conn bounds over to her, skidding against the smooth tile of the compound's patio before slapping his paws on her lap and licking her face. She can't help but laugh and it feels like first true sound she's made since leaving Lucien and Aurora's hands.

"Oh, hi, baby boy! How are you? I was so worried about you. Were you worried too?" Cami strokes his fur and presses her cheek against his neck. Conn cuddles closer to her and it's a struggle for Cami not to cry. He climbs onto the couch she's on and drapes himself over her lap, nudging his head under her chin. Cami holds him close. She woke up about ten minutes ago worried about him and asked Freya if she could check on him. Klaus must have overheard.

Speaking of, Klaus cocks his head at them. "If the state of your flat is anything to go be he was very worried."

"Oh, crap. My mom's rug."

"In fact there was. All over it. I'll have cleaning service over later today. It'll look as good as new by tomorrow."

Cami flushes but is also grateful she won't have to deal with it. "Thanks." She scratches behind Conn's head as he shuffles into her stomach. She getting that annoying tingling feeling of tears in her eyes again and wipes at them. It's been a shitty week and Klaus was already being too nice, but now he's gone and brought her dog over. He doesn't even like Conner.

"Hey, thanks for this," she says, absently running her hand down Conn's flank. "I-"

"Say no more, love. Can't have you sulking over the mutt."

She rolls her eyes, feeling the lightest she has in days. "He's not a mutt." Conn nuzzles closer to her and gives a little growl when Klaus sits on the other end of the couch. Klaus growls back.

Cami bites back a grin.

* * *

The next couple days are spent doing… absolutely nothing. Christmas creeps up on them and Cami finds herself helping Freya with the decorations and set up. It's something to do. The O'Connells used to be great at Christmas, big tree, big dinner, Uncle Kieran's midnight mass. Lots of eggnog. Leftovers for days.

And even though she's barely leaving the compound she still knows all the shop owners from the Quarter to the Tremé that'll still give them good deals on twinkle lights and wrapping paper. It's always a pleasant surprise how many people remember her family. Last year Christmas had been a lonely affair. Circumstances aside she likes where she is this year.

Freya is the one that goes and get most of the supplies as Cami pads around the compound, Conn on her tail. It makes Cami feel like a bit of a wimp, but she's allowed to want to take a break too.

At least Conn's been incredibly well behaved, so much to the point she asks Klaus and Elijah if they compelled him. Elijah scoffs while Klaus mutters he should. Conn still keeps growling at him and out right barks at Elijah. He's only quiet and gentle when Hayley brings Hope around. He follows Hope around like it's his job and it's cute as hell to watch him herd her from all sharp edges.

It's kinda nice, being around a big family, Cami thinks during these days, even if it's a dysfunctional and murderous ones. But they all like her and it's messed up that this is the safest Cami has felt in a long time, surrounded by monsters of various kinds, but it is what it is.

Peace, of course, never last long, especially with this family, Camille has come to expect.

* * *

Somehow, they manage their own version of it anyway.

She's thinking that when she hears Klaus come up the step to the balcony. Rebekah just left, her short goodbye to Cami had been mostly a threat not to break her brother's heart. It made her flush and think about earlier at Kinney's. How she had almost kissed him then.

Their various almost kisses.

Each held in limbo, neither acknowledging them after by silent agreement to not further complicate what was already a complicated relationship. Add on top of that Klaus' fear of anything that made him vulnerable, yeah, they never talked about those moments if they could avoid it.

For Cami it had been different though. She had gone into this with eyes wide open. Well, as open as she could.

At first it had been what she thought as simply complicated feelings to a hard to read guy, after she found out the truth complicated didn't begin to cover it. But falling for and loving Klaus didn't stop him from being a monster. The empathy she held for him didn't diminish, but it didn't grow. It didn't make her blind to who he was, to what he would do to others. What he could do to her if he ever stopped caring about her.

She had always understood, to a degree, his impulses. Understood the fundamental reason he was the way he was, but she also saw him temper himself for her at times.

No, falling for and loving Klaus was not a question of forgetting he was a true monster. A source of terrible deeds. It was accepting she made the choice to not ignore her feelings towards him despite it, but allowed them to strengthen.

Not all monsters deserved love, but it was too late for her in this regard. She was already in love with one.

That much could at least admit to herself. It was an incredibly scary thing to admit, even only to herself, considering his habit of leaving her stranded whenever they got too close to crossing the line.

Maybe Rebekah was right. Crossing the line would be too dangerous.

Cami sighs, trying to forgot Rebekah's words.

Of course, that's when he slips on the balcony beside her.

"You look," she hears Klaus say and she's not ready for whatever he's going to say next. Not right now.

"Don't say tired. You've lived long enough to know you should never tell a woman she looks tired." She cuts in, making him laugh, giving them the out. She didn't even want to, but she's gotten too good at it. He had that look in his eyes, the one she wants and longs for when she lets herself admit it. The same one he always has before he runs away from her. Maybe it's time to stop running.

Klaus lets the tease soothe over them and the hellish day, days really, they've had. He grins, sliding up to her. "I was going to say contemplative." His easy manner and smile bringing out her own.

They're good at this, side-stepping their feelings. It exhausts her. She doesn't want to play at it anymore.

So when he asks what she's thinking about, Cami tells him the truth. She doesn't like lying to Klaus. Her penny is a pound. Her penny is all the fears she has about what lies between them. She knows she's human, that she's weaker, but she doesn't like to be consider helpless. She wants to be considered an asset, if not an equal, in Klaus' life, not a weakness.

Mentioning Aurora make her insides turn, but she can't be hide from her forever. Klaus grimaces. "Don't, please. When I think of all way she could have hurt you…"

And that's the point. She doesn't want that to be how he constantly thinks of her: as someone that could always be hurt or used to hurt him.

"She didn't," she says, interrupting him. "She didn't. Because of you." She tells him how she notices his loyalty, warped as it is, to family, how he'll protect them from everything, but she already knows the drive behind that. It was what he did for Kinney today that surprised her when she thought nothing else could. The hope and kindness he showed. That's a Klaus she only glimpses at the edges of his violence and anger. So she asks him why he helped Kinney because that's the answer that matters, the answer she keeps her hanging around. "Why did you help someone you don't even know?"

The look in his eye is back, the one he runs away from after. Cami steels herself.

"Because you wished it."

His answer unravels her. He continues to unravel her.

"Because what's important to you is important to me. What makes me happy makes me what to keep you so. What scares you I want to tear apart." And she knows it's true, she's seen it, felt it. At those words she has to look away from him, her chest too full, her heart beating too fast. It's only his following words at bring her gaze back to him. "I do not wish to look at you from behind glass, Camille." She's always loved how he says her name.

"What do you wish?" Cami says, her voice too soft, she barely hears herself.

The moment hangs and part of her fears he'll move to run again.

He does move.

But not away.

He pushes towards her like he's diving of a cliff into something unknown. Cami doesn't know how to do anything else but catch him.

His mouth is warm and confident and soft. The last surprises her. He doesn't push hard against her lips, he doesn't devour her the way she's always thought he might. He kisses her like he's afraid she'll push him away.

Cami raises her hands to slide over his cheek, keeping him close to her lips, before she rests them on his shoulders. She grips him to her. She won't run either.

Under the lights that hang all over the courtyard the kiss feels oddly magical, storybook like. When they part their smiles match.

He pulls them towards one of the couches in a room nearby with gentle words and kisses her more. He skims her skin with clever fingers, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Despite her speech before of not wanting to be treated like a fragile, breakable thing, he's exceedingly gentle with her.

"You are precious," he murmurs against her cheeks, lips skimming her jaw. Cami smiles, pulling his face back towards her, nudging her nose to his. Precious. She can live with precious.

When she tugs him towards her borrowed bedroom, his cheeks flush and she grins. His own wolf grin follows not second after before it softens. This isn't a time for teasing.

The bed is soft against her back. Klaus is solid but yielding over her. He crawls over her but she doesn't feel like prey under his gaze. She feels cherished. His mouth slants over hers, their kisses grow deeper, his hands hold her tighter. They press close to each other, her leg pulled over one hip, and when they finally take a breath, Cami can't look away from him. He's the softest she's ever seen him without Hope in his arms. He looks almost scared.

And that's when she understands.

Cradling his face between her hands, she wants to tell him she loves him too, but there's soon and there's too soon. Sliding one hand down his neck, she covers his heart. Klaus' eyes flutter and she hopes he understands.

He pulls her close, their heads on the same pillow and she strangely wants to cry. Klaus kisses her eyelids and then her lips softly.

Cami doesn't look away from him, her hand still over his heart. His clenched tightly on her waist, holding her like he's afraid she'll disappear.

"Stay," she whispers. "Please."

Klaus sighs, "I'd be nowhere else tonight."

Cami doesn't know when they fall asleep, but when she wakes there's only a moment of joy as she notices how Klaus stayed with her before everything becomes a haze under Aurora's compulsion. She doesn't even notice Conn paws at her back, the reason she woke in the first place.

* * *

 _He pads away from the cub and the Alpha in search of Mom. He can smell the dead wolf with her, but the smell is familiar now. He doesn't know how Mom handles it._

 _They're in the room he and mom have been staying in. On the bed. Connor growls low because the bed is his spot. The dead wolf should leave. He ambles over and puts his paws by Mom and whines, trying to clamber on._

 _Mom wakes up. She's slow to it, and Conn is happy because it means she'll kick the dead wolf out and they can sleep. The house of dead people always smells like blood but the food is good and he likes the cub and her alpha mother._

 _On the bed Mom moves slow, so slow, and Conn whines. She sits up and reaches for something he can't see. He whines again because she's being weird. Mom always scratches behind his ears when she wakes up. She's ignoring him now. It's wrong and weird and…_

 _Mom drinks something- Conn sniffs. Blood! Why is Mom drinking blood! But then she does something Conn doesn't understand even more._

 _Mom hurts herself._

 _The smell of blood is heavy and Conn does the only thing he can. He barks as loud as he can because someone needs to help Mom._

* * *

Klaus is ready to kill the mutt for waking him up. As much as he loves Camille the mutt is an incessant hog for her attention and hates him.

He's ready to-

The smell of the blood is what shocks him awake. He knows that blood, it's-

The mutt is barking a storm up and Camille's hand is just falling away from her neck. The razor blade clatters to the floor.

Klaus scrambles on the bed to cover the slash with his hands, trying to staunch the flow of blood. There's too much, he immediately thinks. It coats his hand and her neck. It slips through his fingers and for the first time in a long time he wishes he didn't know how much it takes for someone to bleed out.

He yells. His siblings. Anyone. Or maybe he doesn't. He's not sure, maybe it's the mutt's barks that warn them.

Everything has blurred except the feeling of Camille's blood under his hands, the wide look in her eyes as he tells her to stay with him, the way her pulse is skittering, and her lips as they mouth his name. Her hands scramble against his and he's not sure if she's trying to push him off or hold on to him. Klaus tells her not to fight him, just in case. A part of him immediately knows this was a result of compulsion. Camille would never hurt herself.

He bites at his wrist, still trying to keep pressure on the slash, presses his bloody arm to her mouth. He's not sure how he's doing this until he realises Elijah's hands have joined his. Elijah's fingers press into Cami's throat, pinching her aorta, making sure the blood flow slows. Elijah has always had a more precise nature. Not for the first time Klaus appreciates it.

In the background he's vaguely aware the mutt is still barking, that Freya's started a spell, and of Hayley appearing by the door with a crying Hope. The barks and yelling much have woken her up.

What the spell Freya is performing does he doesn't know, but for once Klaus implicitly trust his siblings. They care about Camille nearly as much as he does. At the edge of the room, Hayley is holding Hope, who wails and tries to look into the room. Immediately, Klaus snaps his head up the same instance that Hayley turns Hope's face away trying to both soothe and shield her. Klaus thinks about how much his daughter and Cami love each other, how happy Hope gets when Cami spends time with her. For a brief moment he imagines a world without them.

"Can someone SHUT THE MUTT UP." He yells, hating the sympathy and fear he saw his Hayley's eyes. The same fear that echoes within him.

"Conner, stop," Hayley commands and the mutt quiets. He doesn't move from where he's been perched on Cami's side of the bed but his barks are now low whimpers. Hope doesn't quite under her mother's commanding voice. She's still crying, louder and louder. The room feels heavier.

In his arms, Camille's eyes have closed and he urges her to open them again. "Stay with us, Camille. There are so many more stories I have to share with you. Look at me. Look at me. There, yes, keep your eyes on me." He's close to begging, he will if he needs too. He'll rip apart the world if he needs to.

From the thin skin of his wrist, his blood still flows into Cami's mouth. He can feel the struggle for her to swallow as her muscle tissue is still mostly severed but slowly, too slowly, he's aged a thousand more years in these quick minutes, they start to repair. Her heartbeat stops slowing. He watches as her eyes flutter and he can tell she can't seem to focus. Then the mutt gives one sharp back. Camille's eyes flit to him and hold. The mutt barks again. Camille blinks, with purpose this time. Her heartbeat is holding steady, too slow but steady.

Klaus lets out a breath. She really loves that dog.

"That right, Camille, focus. Stay with us." He tries to be the calm center she is for him. He tries to soothe her, lessen the fear he clinging to her. He's not focused enough to pull her mind completely into his but he creates the link anyway. In his mind he hears her voice, small and scared. It repeats his name, her mind echoes the pain she's feeling. He tells her it'll all be okay. He can tell she doesn't believe him.

"You'll feel very foolish when I'm proven right," he says out loud.

From his wrist the blood is flowing steadier down her throat. His other hand is stroking her hair. He's not sure when he started doing that. The dog has started to lick her ear in a comforting manner. His tongue catches Klaus' fingers every other stroke. Cami swallows deeply and meets his 't let go. Her panic had abated somewhat, but she's still so scared. It infuriates Klaus.

"You're not dying today, love," he says. Promises. He feels her find a grip on his shirt and shifts his hold on her to hold her closer. The dog climbs on the bed hurriedly, keeping close to his mistress. He covers her legs with his body and whimpers against her stomach. Elijah adjusts his grip on her neck. There's blood on the cuffs of his shirt. He normally takes the time to roll them up when doing dirty work.

Klaus barely registers their movements. His entire focus has narrowed to Camille's heartbeat and how much blood she's drinking. Her face and neck are a mess, a mix of his blood and hers. His arm is no better, ripped open at the vein, still bleeding freely. He's probably losing more blood than is healthy even for him. He couldn't care less.

He vaguely hears Elijah mention her muscles and veins are almost finished rebuilding. His hand is still holding her neck together. Freya's magic is heavy in the air. Hayley is murmuring calming words to still crying Hope. It's good to know his daughter has a healthy set of lungs.

From his perch the mutt howls.

Freya's magic snaps.

Elijah's hands leave Camille's healing throat.

Camille chokes on the blood he's feeding, weakly pushes his wrist away.

"No," escapes from Klaus's lips.

Hope gives one final wail as Hayley mutters Camille's name.

"Klaus," Camille says before her eyes roll back and she goes limp in his arms.

In that moment everything turns red and black to Klaus. His beast begins to climb out in ways he hasn't let it in a while. It rips away from the gentle hold of Camille's love and understanding it had been languishing in.

He will destroy every inch of this city, of this world, until whoever is responsible for this becomes something less than a memory. He will make them pay with more than their lives but their souls, their existence. In his arms Camille is pale and bloody when she should be glowing bright. Someone will answer for this-

He growls, deep and terrible, his eyes shifting from the amber of the wolf to something darker and red.

Pushing from the bed, the only gentleness in his action is laying Camille back down on the bed. Elijah and Freya are saying something but they are nothing but white noise. He's only got one focus in his mind: make them pay for Camille.

He doesn't register Elijah's hands until the second before his neck breaks.

* * *

 _The pack of the dead wolf circled Mom and helped her. They circled her holding her with their dead hands and magic, trying to keep her alive._

 _Conner doesn't like many of them, especially the dead wolf and his too clean monster of a brother, but he likes the cub, the Alpha, and the sister witch. And all of them helped Mom. All of them helped keep Mom alive in their own way._

 _But something happened to the dead wolf when Mom fell into sleep - healing sleep, the sister witch said when they started to move them - and the brother monster had to stop him from letting his monster out. He fell into a different kind of sleep over Mom's body, almost over Conn's body. The cub stopped crying then, like she knew Mom was gonna be okay now, and the Alpha let the sister witch take her as she helped the brother monster move them from the room. Conn let her touch Mom, because he knew Mom wouldn't want to wake up on this bed again. The brother monster took care of the dead wolf. Conn followed the Alpha as she cleaned Mom and put her in a new bed. It was the dead wolf's bed, it smelled like him, earth and blood. The dead wolf was on it too._

 _The Alpha and the brother monster said to let them rest._

 _Conn climbed on the bed and rested his head on Mom's stomach._

 _"Niklaus would not like the dog on the bed."_

 _"Too bad for him then because I'm not gonna move him and neither are you."_

 _"Who do you think did this?"_

 _The Alpha touched Mom's face gently. "Had to be Lucien or Aurora, Cami's not been around anyone else who would want to hurt her. I have half a mind to go after them myself right now."_

 _"I feel the exact same way."_

 _The sister witch voice cut in then. "Brother, Hayley, we need to talk."_

 _"Freya? What's the matter? What's wrong."_

 _"My spell, I think… I did more than just keep Camille's heart beating. And I think I had help."_

* * *

For the second time in twenty-four hours, Cami wakes up to see Klaus's face next to her. Unlike last time-

Oh God, last time.

Oh God, what did she do to herself.

Bolting straight up on the bed, Cami clutches at her throat. It was- it is whole. Unmarred. Her hands are clean, her neck is clean. She is in clean clothes. She's, oh God, she's alive. She's alive.

The sobs come them, heavy and thick, wet and loud. Cami curls into herself, her cries getting louder and louder, unchecked and uncontrolled. It wakes Conner up, who's stretched out over her legs. She remembers everything. She had woken up and Conner had been there. She had tried to kill herself and he was the only reason she didn't manage to.

Reaching for her dog, she cuddles him close to her chest, letting her tears catch on his fur. He's angling his face to lick her face and nuzzle her. His low whines of affection fill her heart.

It must wake Klaus up, her moving around and crying, because he starts beside her. She hears his growl and curse- it's aimed at Elijah, making her wonder what happened there. The last thing she remembers is the taste of blood in her mouth and the mental link snapping when she passed out.

He must notice her before going to fulfill his threat to Elijah, because next thing she knows his arms are wrapped around her. Her name rips from his throat like a prayer.

"Camille, you're alive." It's awkward as hell, with her holding Conn to her chest, but Klaus manages to pull her half on his lap and cradle her face. His thumbs stroke her cheekbones. She feels his fingers rest against her pulse point. One hand lingers there, the other tangles in her hair and cradles her head.

She only nods, words still stuck between the sobs in her throat. She reaches out and brushes her thumb against his cheek like he did to her. She catches the tear before it even fully leaves his eye. She wants to say something, but thank you feels too small for what just happened. I love you feels too big, too simplistic.

His mouth is on hers in the next second, somehow surprising her. It's still softer than she had ever imagined from him. A gentle reminder of their first kiss such a short time ago, but somehow it's more, stronger. It feels like a lifetime had passed from that moment on the balcony.

When they part, she seeps her eyes on his. Part of her never wants to close her eyes again. Another part wants to inject vervain in her bloodstream. A smaller, angier part that is the loudest of all want to find Aurora and turn her to dust.

Klaus's thumbs wipe under her eyes again, as if he's erasing her tear tracks. A few still slip out regardless. He cups her head and presses their forehead together forcing all those thoughts away for an all too brief second. On her lap, Conn butts his head against Klaus' chest and is ignored.

"Camille, I," he starts, and believe it or not, she doesn't want to hear what she can feel is coming. She doesn't want it like this, in the aftermath of blood and despair. Or at least not in the aftermath of her blood and despair.

"You can't ever say shit about my dog ever again," she cuts him off, dragging her palms over her eyes in a futile look like she's done crying. She nudges Conn away from where he's shoving his head between her and Klaus's chins, and scratches behind his ears.

Klaus blinks. He stares at her and looks down at Conn. He carefully pushes Conn's head down away from them. When he meets her gaze, she sees the sharpness in his look. He likes her because she can understand him, because she can see past the bravado. Very few people have noticed he sees past hers as well.

He grin, sharp, wolf like. A dangerous crooked smile she loves. It makes her smile back. Yeah, sometimes he gets it.

"Very well, love. Not another bad word about the dog." He pulls her fully on his lap. Conn moves so he's pressed against her legs and hip on her side of the bed. Klaus's fingers drag softly over jaw. "We will not let go unanswered, Camille."

She wants to be the better person and tell him to let it go, but she's too exhausted. She just wraps her arms around him.

* * *

When the others filter into the room minutes later, Cami realises that Elijah and Hayley must have heard them wake up and gave them a few minutes to themselves. She's grateful. They look as tried as Cami feels. Hayley is holding a sleepy looking Hope. Cami has a vague memory of Hope's heartbreaking cries while the siblings tried to hold her lifeforce together.

Freya hands Cami a cup full of something that smells like tea but probably has more than just tea leaves and water.

"Here, it's a witches brew." See, what did she just say. "It's to help balance out your system. You've been put through a mystical ringer. There's some vervain in it too. You've had a lot vampire blood in your system, but," Freya looks at Klaus who's drinking from the tumbler of blood Elijah handed him, "let's just say it's better to be safe than sorry. I'll see about any lingering compulsion later, but I think-"

Cami swallows hard. Her fingers trail across her neck. She shivers. "I completed what Aurora compelled me to do. I don't think- But if she or Lucien compelled me to do anything else I wouldn't know, would I?" It's a depressing and scary thing to think about. She doesn't realise she grabbed for Klaus' hand until he squeezes back.

"We'll keep an close eye on you until Freya does her check then," Elijah says.

"Oh, she won't be leaving my sight." Klaus adds, a little too lecherously for the situation at hand, but Cami is well versed in his deflection techniques. She threads their fingers together. "And we'll be dealing with Aurora and Lucien soon enough, love."

Hayley frowns at that. "It always feels weird when I agree with you, I just want you to know that."

It makes Cami laugh. All three Mikaelson's crack a smile. At her side, Conn shuffles over to let Hayley pet him. Hope wiggles her arms for her dad and Cami. Cami grabs her and settles her in her arms. Hope curls into Cami's chest, sighing when Klaus strokes her head.

Of course it's Elijah who breaks the moment. "Now that all of that is take care off-"

"It won't be taken care of until Aurora is dust under my hands."

"Klaus," Cami sighs, because he's too dramatic, not because she disagrees with the sentiment.

Elijah nods, "Agreed, Niklaus, but before that we have something of import to discuss. It seems that our efforts to save Camille had unexpected results from Freya's end."

Freya rolls her eyes, "It's a bit more complicated than that."

Cami stares between Elijah, Freya, and Hayley who now look a mix of worried and sheepish and Klaus who tensed like a coiled viper. She catches his gaze. His arm slides around her back. "What do you mean… unexpected results?"

Hayley steps closer, brushing Hope's hair back. She looks between Klaus, Cami, and Hope. She smiles. "So, remember how we have a magical miracle baby?"

Conn barks and Hope giggles into Cami's neck.


End file.
